Nautical light



May 31, 1966 R. G. MARTELET NAUTICAL LIGHT Filed Jan. 31, 1964 INVENTOR.Ronald Marielet FIG 5 United States Patent 3,254,206 NAUTICAL LIGHTRonald G. Martelet, Chicago, 11]., assignor to Sears, Roe- My inventionrelates generally to the field of lights for use on boats and generallyknown as running lights. Such lights are required by maritimeregulations for the bow and sides of a craft, in order that neighboringships may know the direction of movement of the craft carrying thelights.

More particularly, my invention has to do with lights of this characterintended primarily for owners of small boats, such as cruisers and sailboats, and has been especially conceived from the standpoint of economy.

My invention contemplates a construction which is adaptable for useeither as a bow light or side light for a boat, without modification.

Specifically, according to my invention, I provide a light of thecharacter referred to formed, as by molding, die casting or like methodsof fabrication, in a plurality of simple parts. All of said parts may beassembled to form a bow light while one of said parts may be usedindependently as a side light. Thus, a saving may be effected infabrication by elimination of special tooling which otherwise would berequired for a side light, which saving may be passed on to theconsumer.

Various other objects and advantages will become apparent as thedescription proceeds.

Referring now to the drawings forming a part of this specification andillustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a boat, showing more-orlessdiagrammatically bow and side running lights mounted thereon inaccordance with my invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a bow light embodying my invention;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the light shown in FIG. 2, with partsbroken away to reveal portions of the interior construction, and withcertain parts in section;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the light of FIGS. 2tand 3 mountedon a deck, here again certain parts being broken away to reveal theinterior arrangement and with parts in section;

FIG. 5 is a view partly in section substantially along the line *55 ofFIG. 4 and partly in elevation;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view showing one of the side elements ofthe light secured to the side of a cabin to provide a side runninglight, and

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of the light shown in FIG. 6, with aportion of the supporting wall shown in section.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the numeral 10 represents a boat of any typewhatever to which my invention is applicable. I have shown a smalllaunch or cruiser type which is popular for private ownership andoperation on inland or coastal waters, although it should be understoodthat my invention is applicable to a sail boat or ship of any other sizeand description.

Adjacent the bow may be secured a bow light embodying my invention ashereinafter described in detail, while side running lights 13, 13, maybe attached to the side walls of a cabin 14, also as hereinafterdescribed.

' The-major parts embodying my invention may conveniently be formed ofcast or die-cast metal or alloy of any suitable type. For a bow light Iprovide a mid-section which includes a base portion 17 adapted to reston a deck D. Depending from base 17 is a hollow screw 20 engageable in anut 22 embedded in deck D.

Patented May 31 1966 Integral with base 17 is a post portion 25 which ispreferably hollow, communicating with the passage inside screw 20, andserves to support integral mid-section 28. Thus, post 25 and section 28may be molded or cast as a unit. It will be noted that said mid-sectionconstitutes a sort of median rib for the light @12 when employed as abow light and, with allochiral side portions'30a and 60b, serves toprovide a pair of generally parallel spaces 33 within which are disposedelectrical lamps 3'5, 35.

Each of the lamps is seated in the usual manner in an appropriate socketB6 which may be of more-or-less standard construction in the electricalindustry and carried by side members 30a and 3019 through a lug 38extending inwardly from the wall of the side member.

Formed on rib member 28 is a plurality of femalethreaded bosses 40adapted to receive screws 42 for sec-uring side members 30a and 60b torib member 2-8. (FIG. 3.)

Side members 30a and 30b are substantially allochiral or mirror imagesof each other, each having adjacent one end, which I will call theforward end of the light, a window portion 50 therein closed by asuitable translucent or transparent pane or lens of glass or .a suitablesynthetic plastic resin. To satisfy marine regulations each of thewindows will be so shaped and disposed that the rays of lamps 35 passingtherethrough will be visible forwardly and laterally of the craft butnot rearwardly thereof, and side members 30a and 3012 are provided withsuitable contours to this end. Thus, it will be seen that the rearwardextremity of each window 50 is disposed at the widest portion of thelamp housing, thus eflFectively preventing rearward projection of light.

As seen in FIG. 4, electrical conductors C are fed through hollow screw20 from a suitable source of electrical energy and on through post 25 tosock'et members 36 for illuminating the lamps 35.

From what has been described it will be seen that, to provide a bowlight 12, base member 15, along with the parts integral therewith, issecured to the deck in the manner shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Side members30a and 30b are screwed to rib portion 28, the window elements of theside members of course being disposed toward the bow of the craft.

Side members 30a and 30b are so constructed that they may be usedwithout modifications as side lights for the craft. Thus, as seen inFIGS. 6 and 7, to utilize one of the side members as a side light, saidmember may be secured to a side wall of cabin 'B by screws 42 passingdirectly into said wall. When so used, the lamp socket 36 may be wiredwith a conductor passing through the wall B into the cabin.

It will be seen that I have provided an extremely versa tile lamp whichmay be utilized as a bow light while the side portions of the latterserve without modification or special adaptation as side running lights.This arrangement is conducive toward low-cost production, obviating the.need for extra tooling. As designed, the parts may all be convenientlyproduced by such eflicient production methods as molding or die casting.

Various changes coming within the spirit of my inven tion may suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art; hence, I do not wish to belimited to the specific embodiments shown and described or usesmentioned, but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope of myinvention being limited only by. the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A nautical bow light comprising, in combination,

(a) a midsection including a support portion and a frame portion mountedthereon in a generally vertical plane, the latter having a pair ofsubstantially parallel flat planar faces, and

(b) a pair of allochiral concavo-convex side members detachably securedto said frame portion and having flat planar faces abutting those ofsaid frame portion, with cooperating securing means in said side membersand frame portion,

(c) each side member having a lamp socket mounted therein and a windowadjacent one end thereof, said window being so designed and positionedas to direct light only laterally and forwardly,

(d) each side member, when detached from said frame portion, beingattachable to a generally flat and vertical surface with its socket anda lamp seated therein to serve as a running light as a complete unit.

2. A combination as in claim 1, wherein said support portion includes,

(a) a pedestal providing a conduit for an electrical conductor foractuating lamps disposed in said sockets, and

(b) means for fixing said pedestal on a deck.

3. In a combination as in claim 1,

(a) threaded bosses in said frame portion,

(b) said side members having passages formed therein,

and

(c) threaded male securing elements extending through said passages andengaging said bosses detachably retaining the side members in assembledrelation with the frame portion.

4. A combination as in claim 1, wherein said support portion includes(a) a pedestal portion providing a conduit for an electrical conductorfor actuating lamps disposed in said sockets,

(b) a base portion adapted to seat on a deck, and

(c) a female exteriorly threaded element in communication with saidpedestal portion and adapted to be embedded and secured in a deck.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,435,080 11/1922-Potter 2408.22 1,552,705 9/1925 Johnson 2407.1 X 1,788,650 1/193 1Wulle 2407.7 1,800,078 4/ 1931 Johnson 2408'22 1,831,959 11/193'1Landine 24075 2,814,667 11/1957 Hollins 24057 X 2,855,502 10/1958Johnson 2307.55 X

References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 152,18812/1948 Dalton. D. 183,466 9/1958 Seiss.

1,831,959 11/ 19 31 Landine. 1,882,493 10/1932 Goransson et a1.2,850,621 9/ 1958 Bateman et al.

NORTON ANSH-ER, Primary Examiner.

0 J. F. PETERS, Assistant Examiner.

1. A NAUTICAL BOW LIGHT COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, (A) A MIDSECTIONINCLUDING A SUPPORT PORTION AND A FRAME PORTION MOUNTED THEREON IN AGENERALLY VERTICAL PLANE, THE LATTER HAVING A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLYPARALLEL FLAT PLANAR FACES, AND (B) A PAIR OF ALLOCHIRAL CONCAVO-CONVEXSIDE MEMBERS DETACHABLY SECURED TO SAID FRAME PORTION AND HAVING FLATPLANAR FACES ABUTTING THOSE OF SAID FRAME PORTION, WITH COOPERATINGSECURING MEANS IN SAID SIDE MEMBERS AND FRAME PORTION, (C) EACH SIDEMEMBER HAVING A LAMP SOCKET MOUNTED THEREIN AND A WINDOW ADJACENT ONEEND THEREOF, SAID WINDOW BEING SO DESIGNED AND POSITINED AS TO DIRECTLIGHT ONLY LATERALLY AND FORWARDLY, (D) EACH SIDE MEMBER, WHEN DETACHEDFROM SAID FRAME PORTION, BEING ATTACHABLE TO A GENERALLY FLAT ANDVERTICAL SURFACE WITH ITS SOCKET AND A LAMP SEATED THEREIN TO SERVE AS ARUNNING LIGHT AS A COMPLETE UNIT.